The Stakes of Playing Games
by Red Speaks
Summary: "Love is a game," that's what the stranger with swirl sideburns told Tsuna. "It's a game where the first one to fall loses and the winner takes the prize." The more he explained, the harder Tsuna cried. "By the end of your training, you won't be the one to cry anymore. It would be them. I'll make a seductress out of you." He accepted the devil's deal. Thus, the games began. All27.
1. Prologue

**Just to avoid confusion when reading:**

_Italics are thoughts. _

–"_These are memories or flashback of words said by someone." –_

Asterisks (*) conforms to notes in the bottom page.

**This is an AU! **

**Pairings: Allx27. Main: ?x27. **

**Status: Unbeta'd**

**Warnings: Slight OOC. Future cussing. Rated T for now, it might change in the future.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own KHR. Don't sue me. :c**

* * *

**~Prologue~**

* * *

"You're willing to throw your life away for something like _that_? You're dumber than I thought, Dame-Tsuna." The man with ridiculous sideburns chuckled, taking a swift swig of his whiskey.

Tsuna, on the other hand, delivered his most deadly glare to the stranger beside him, who apparently found out his name (and infamous nickname) from his drunken rant earlier. "You wouldn't understand." Tsuna hiccupped, downing another glass of tequila. "Because I know you're the same as _him._" He spat venomously.

The stranger just raised his brow, lips smirked in amusement.

"…what do you guys get for playing us like this!? Does it feed your ego when you break people's hearts?"

The stranger chuckled, tilting his fedora down to cover his amused face.

"I –I… It was him who approached me first…" Tsuna rubbed his face on his jacket's sleeve, wiping shed tears away. "…he's the one who said…"

"He loves you?" The stranger supplemented, locking eyes with Tsuna's hazy ones.

–" _Haha, just say a few sappy words, then they'll be eating on the palm of your hands, which by the way, is disgusting. Tsuna is just another idiot who fell for my trap. What a stupid shit."–_

The words he heard repeated in his head and Tsuna downed another shot. By the end of his gulp, he already felt like his eyeballs would roll up his head.

"And you believed him? Stupid." The stranger shook his head. "He was bullying you for years and you didn't even felt suspicious when he approached you and tell you he likes you? Ah…your naivety surprises me."

"I-it wasn't like that!"

–"_I know I've been bullying you…but…but I was just doing that to get your attention, you know. I like you, Sawada. Please, go out with me." –_

"He..he said, he did that to get my a-attention! You…wouldn't understand… When I dated him, it was the first time I didn't felt alone. I've never had a friend so…I –I…"

_Ahh, pity-party_, the stranger thought. "Didn't you say everyone knew he plays around?"

Tsuna bit his lip to keep himself in silence.

"And yet, you believed him." The stranger shook his head.

Tsuna kept silent, seemingly thinking deep before sighing resignedly, and decidedly talked. "I… –I knew he…doesn't really like me when he…confessed." Lazily, tracing the mouth of his shot glass with his forefinger, Tsuna continued with audible slur in his words. "I said yes…so he'd stop bullying me…I –I just…didn't think…"

"You'd fall?"

_Mind reader. _Tsuna nodded.

The stranger took another swig, swerving his chair to face the obviously drunken Tsuna. "Then accept that you lost the game. Stop sobbing about it, Dame-Tsuna."

"…game? What…game?"

"Love. Idiot."

Tsuna breathed a single laugh of disbelief, looking at the stranger as if he has two heads, which at the moment was actually happening for his vision is doubled (but you get the point). "Y-you…Ha! I was right…You're just like him!"

A sudden slap to the back of his head occurred, courtesy of the stranger he's drinking with.

"Dame-Tsuna, you're a thousand years too early to point accusatory fingers at me." The stranger smirked smugly.

"But love…is not a game!"

"It is, Dame-Tsuna. You just refuse to believe it."

Tsuna rubbed the back of his head with a visible scowl on his face. _The nerve. _"I can't believe heartless people like you exist."

The stranger shook his head lightly, sighing aloud, almost feeling pity for the naïve young man. Keyword, _almost. _For he, the greatest hitman in the world, never felt pity for anyone.

"I'm wise, not heartless."

Tsuna snorted. "Sugar-coating it doe–" And another slap was received, but this time, the pain didn't register, for Tsuna's alcohol high kicked in full force. He stayed bowed; his words to say were already forgotten.

"It's a game where the first one to fall loses and the winner takes the prize."

Tsuna craned his head up, meeting the stranger's eyes. "P-prize?"

"The loser's sincerity."

"…sincerity?"

The stranger sighed, knowing the drunkard doesn't understand. He vaguely wondered if the other were sober, would it have made any difference? Not really wanting to sound sappy but somehow feeling there's no other choice, the stranger decided to explain his point as he fiddled with his fedora. "Love is sincere, Dame-Tsuna.

When you fall, there comes the uncontrollable urge to show your affections for the other, and without you knowing it, you'll find yourself doing it despite the efforts of not wanting to.

And the moment the other realizes they won, they could make use of that genuine affection you have for them in any way they please. Would they return it? Reject it? Or perhaps, use it for their amusement and purpose? It's all up to them.

All the loser could do is anticipate and see what the other will do."

Tsuna rested his head on his crossed arms, irritation shown on his face. Despite what the other had lectured, he still didn't believe that love is a game.

"Think about it, Dame-Tsuna. A game is about having fun. During the course of your-so-called date, you _had_ fun. You admitted it yourself. But in every game, someone wins and someone loses. Will there be a prize? Not sure. But the winner would always indulge in his victory while the other could learn to suck it up and be sport about it, or be a sole loser and sob about it."

And the sobs started. Tsuna felt his shoulders shake as he tried to man up and stop the tears from falling. However, it felt like the alcohol numbed his face and left his tear ducts with own minds, shedding tears like his cheek's skin had suffered severe drought and in deep need of water.

"…Even i-in love…" Tsuna hiccupped. "..I-I'm still a l-loser."

The stranger rested his chin on his waiting palm, looking at the sobbing mess beside him. For once, he felt like patting the guy on the back but chose to refrain from it. He wasn't the type to touch people without hidden agenda. What this guy needs was sincere feelings of care and compassion –things he couldn't ever give.

"…I –I don't w-want to feel…l-like this anymore… I don't w-wanna feel like this ever again!"

Although, the stranger couldn't give compassion, there's always something he _can _provide. So with a smirk, the stranger replied. "How sure are you with that?"

Tsuna lifted his head slightly, glancing at the stranger with one eye. "Huh?"

…_I'm getting tired of explaining things to this kid. _"About wanting to never feel like this again."

Tsuna snorted, head plopping back on his arms. "Damn sure."

If one thought it wasn't possible, the stranger's unnerving smirk grew wider into a mischievous smile. "Then, I'll help you stop being a loser, Dame-Tsuna."

"Yeah, right."

And another slap to the back of his head occurred, making him sat up and cradle his sore head. "S-stop that already!"

And another one was what he received. Tsuna hazily wondered if he developed concussions by now, surprised he hasn't passed out yet. "W-what would you receive from this a-anyway!? I –I don't have anything on me… I'm useless and n-never good at anything. I d-don't even have money to compensa–"

The stranger held up a palm, motioning for the other to shut up. "I don't need your money. I have so much that I don't even know what to do with it. You, on the other hand, need the help. You are too pathetic to be left alone." He swirled the glass of whiskey in his hand as he continued inwardly. _And what I'm getting from this is pure entertainment, of course. _

Tsuna met the other's eyes. _Was it even possible for people like him to exist? _And as he thought of those words, he looked at the stranger as if he was heaven-sent, a Good Samaritan willing to help a stranger and pathetic loser like him out. And he smiled like a dork, asking. "..R-really? Y-you'd help me for nothing?"

And the stranger chuckled silently in amusement. _Too trusting and naïve. He'd be hard work. _"You'd be a challenge but I'm sure of my skills. I will help you out _but_ my training is quite extreme, it's best that you be prepared, Dame-Tsuna. By the end of this, I assure you, you won't be the one to cry. It would be them."

"B-but, I don't want anyone to cry…"

And another slap was thrown his way, this time, however, Tsuna dodged, only to be smacked with the other hand. "OW!"

"It's either you are the loser or the winner, Dame-Tsuna. Are you in or out? This is the only time I'd ask."

Tsuna blinked. _Was it right to trust this stranger? _But the haze of the alcohol kept him from thinking twice and just as long as the pain he feels in his chest would never be felt again, he was willing to take the hand offered to him. He grabbed the stranger's outstretched hand and shook it.

Little did Tsuna know, that by shaking the stranger's hand, he was almost sealing a deal with the devil. And if he had seen the other's mischievous grin, he would realize the rashness of his decision.

"Good choice, Dame-Tsuna," _Because I never take no for an answer_. "My name is Reborn. And I'll make a _femme fatale*_ out of you."

"A what…?"Tsuna uttered before a pistol was pointed on the middle of his forehead. With wide eyes and pale face, Tsuna trembled. "R-R—Reb-b-born-s-san…!?"

"Lesson number one, _never _show fear."

And with a loud bang, Tsuna saw his world go black.

* * *

** ~End of Prologue~**

* * *

**Sorry, the prologue is pretty short. The following chapters would be longer. :)**

**Femme Fatale* (via Wikipedia) ****is a stock character of a mysterious and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers, often leading them into compromising, dangerous, and deadly situations. She is an archetype of literature and art. [Just for clarification, Reborn didn't mean it _literally_. XD]**

**Can you guys guess who the bully/first love of Tsuna is? XD**

**:::**

**OMAKE: (Please don't take this seriously)**

"It's a game where the first one to fall loses and the winner takes the prize."

Tsuna craned his head up, meeting the stranger's eyes. "P-prize?"

"The loser's virginity."

"HIIIIIIIIEEEEEEE!?"

**::: Feel free to shoot me. c: :::**


	2. Chapter 1

** familymatters – You got him right! *gives you virtual cookies* :)**

**Thank you guys for the reviews, faves and follows. I appreciate it a lot! :D**

**Status: Unbeta'd**

**Disclaimer: I don't own KHR. **

* * *

**Chapter 1**

* * *

After a night-out of heavy drinking, people were said to wake up in interesting situations.

Some got up looking like they were attacked by a thousand chipmunks, others woke up smelling like they fell down a canal, some got up with the word _dumb_ stamped on their foreheads, while others woke up in a place they never went to before (like a random hotel room, somebody else's room or in another country…On rarest occasion, they could even be in the middle of the Pacific Ocean…!). The possibilities were endless!

However, when Tsuna woke up from his sleep, he didn't expect to find himself sprawled on the floor with a puddle of drool sticking on his face neither did he expect a _stranger_ in _his_ bed –a good-looking one at that; a tall, tanned, handsome…but _MURDEROUS_ man, who's currently pointing a goddamn gun to his head!

"HIIEEE!?" _A burglar!?_ Tsuna plastered his back against the wall, hands held up in surrender. _This feels like déjà-vu…_

"You dare make noise while I'm sleeping, Dame-Tsuna? You must've a death wish." The man said, making Tsuna tremble harder.

"I … I –I'm s-so-sorry?"

"Stop stuttering," the man looked him in the eyes. "What's for breakfast?"

"…h-huh?" _Breakfast? _That must've been the most random thing he heard from a burglar –not that he met one before. "Aren't you going t-to rob m-my house?" _And how did he know my name!? My NICKname to be exact…! _He wanted to ask that too but he was too afraid to care.

The man raised a brow, cocking his gun to the side. "You don't remember last night?"

"L-last night?" Tsuna furrowed his brows, browsing his hazy mind. Then the flashbacks of what happened ran on his mind. He remembered going to a noisy bar, bereft of any "_Not serving alcohol to minors"_ policy, and drank the daylights out of his eyes. Tsuna grimaced when he remembered how he was crying like a child until a man with black fedora sat on the bar stool beside him.

He met eyes with the assailant –the same stranger from last night, just without his fedora – and gaped like an idiot, remembering their (or mostly his) drunken talk.

_-"But love is not a game!"- _

_-"It is, Dame-Tsuna. You just refuse to believe it."-_

_-"Even in love, I'm still a loser…I don't ever want to feel like this again!"-_

Tsuna turned beet red, embarrassed at the sobbing image and slurring speech he presented the stranger last night, only for a dorky smile to replace his blush when…

_-__"Then, I'll help you stop being a loser, Dame-Tsuna._ _My name is Reborn. And I'll make a __femme fatale __out of you"-_

He didn't know what a femme fatale is, but he figured it had something to do with him being less of a loser. Perhaps, the word was foreign (he figured when the man didn't look Japanese at all) and could be a term used to call for a winner of some sort. Tsuna was about to say his appreciation for Reborn's offer when another scene played inside his hazy mind…

–"_Lesson number one, _never _show fear."–_

"HIIEEEEEEEEE!" Now, he knew _why_ this situation felt like it happened before, because it _did_. However, the last time, there was a gunshot.

"W-w-wait? Shouldn't I b-be dead!?" Tsuna brought his fingers to his head, frantically searching for a bullet hole on his skull. The man in front of him was momentarily forgotten in favour of his panic.

"It was a blank."

And Tsuna stilled, gazing up at Reborn. "A…blank?"

"A prop used in movie sets." Reborn smirked, pocketing his gun.

Tsuna sighed in relief. "So, it wouldn't have killed me…"

But, Reborn kept his smirk on. "At a good distance, it won't. But if it's pressed on the forehead, it could."

"HIIIIEEEE!? B-b-but…!"

"I diverted aim before I pulled the trigger. You're already passing out to notice it, Dame-Tsuna."

Tsuna scratched his head in thought. But his hangover decided to make itself known now, and Tsuna couldn't help but groan at the sudden pang of pain in his head. "Ugh…"

Reborn brushed his raven locks with his hands, heading out the bedroom door while Tsuna was busy nursing his head.

_Wait. How did I get home? _Better yet… _How did WE get here!? _Because he sure didn't remember telling the man the place he live neither did he remember going home last night."R-Reborn-san!" Tsuna ran after him, going down the stairs, only to crash straight onto the taller man's back.

"Ah! Reborn-kun, good morning!"

"Good morning, Maman."

"Huh?" Tsuna heard his mother's voice and couldn't help but gape as he watched Reborn and his mother exchanged words like they've known each other well. _They know each other!?_

"Tsu-kun," Nana perched hands on her hips. "Why haven't you told me about Reborn-kun?"

Tsuna left his mouth hanging open. _Told WHAT about Reborn-san? _He silently inquired as he looked the tall man in the eyes, who held up a finger in front of his own mouth and lips.

"Maman," Reborn called smoothly. "Tsuna and I just knew of each other recently. Please, don't get mad at him." And he smiled a set of perfect, white teeth, putting priceless Greek statues to shame.

Nana blinked then smiled. "Such a nice young man. Tsu-kun knows how to choose his friends." She went to the kitchen and announced loudly for the two to hear, "Go take your seats, I'll prepare breakfast."

The moment they were left alone, Tsuna did not hesitate to ask. "Just what's going on?"

Reborn poured coffee on his cup, grimacing that it was instant. _I need to buy an espresso maker…_ He briefly thought, seemingly more interested in the topic of his coffee than the question Tsuna directed.

"H-how did…we…get home? I don't remember giving you the a-address…"

"You don't sound convinced of yourself." Reborn clicked his tongue, disapproving Tsuna's lack of confidence.

"S-sorry. But, how did we –?"

"I used your phone and called your mom."

Tsuna widened his eyes. "And –uh…what happened from then?"

But Reborn only smirked, glancing at the side to meet eyes with Tsuna's mother, who's carrying a tray of rice bowls.

As Nana placed the three bowls of rice down the table, she regarded her son with the look of fondness. "My Tsu-kun is growing to be such a nice boy."

Tsuna gaped with his cheeks tinted red, a bit embarrassed with the babying his mother was doing in front of a guest.

"Being there for your friends is really great, Tsu-kun. But you should have told me that you offered your friend a place to stay. I was pretty shocked, you know." Nana pouted playfully before she directed her attention to Reborn. "I'm really sorry I wasn't prepared, Reborn-kun."

Reborn did a million dollar smile, almost blinding Tsuna's eyes out.

_Where are these sparkles coming from? _Tsuna thought.

"It's alright, Maman. I am the one who should be sorry for suddenly intruding here."

Nana waved in dismissal, a motherly smile on her face. "Tsu-kun's friends are always welcome to stay here. Besides, this home is livelier now that you're here. Tsu-kun never brought friends before, so seeing you for the first time is great."

Reborn shared a knowing look with Tsuna, who's currently moping a bit.

Nana took her seat and the three started to eat. "I was actually wondering when I'd see you. Tsu-kun had been going out more than the usual, I almost thought my baby has a girlfriend now –"

Tsuna almost spitted his food, coughing quite harshly.

Reborn, on the other hand, looked amused. "Ahh." _Well…it wasn't a girl._

"Oh my, Tsu-kun. Are you okay?" Tsuna only waved his hand in return, smiling sheepishly as he grabbed his chopsticks.

"You should eat slowly." Nana said worriedly.

"Ah, Maman." Reborn smiled again, making Tsuna think that this was probably how the man gets his way with things. He managed to convince his mother to live in their home after all, without asking his confirmation of the man's claims at all. "My stuff might arrive later this afternoon. I hope it won't come to you as a surprise…They might require quite a bit of space."

Nana made on "o" shape with her mouth before returning Reborn's smile. "Oh, it's alright. If you need help with arranging your stuff, you could ask Tsu-kun to help you." She suggested, giving her son a heart-warming smile. "He doesn't have school today anyway. Besides, you carried him home last night… It's payment for his inconvenience to you."

Tsuna winced. _I was carried home? _He looked at Reborn and saw the man's smirk. For some unknown reason, he felt his hair stood on ends; it's like his intuition turned hyper, alerting him of a very busy afternoon.

"Oh, it was nothing, Maman." Reborn took a sip of his coffee. "Though, Tsuna's help would be much appreciated."

"Oh, of course, he would. Right, Tsu-kun?"

Tsuna smiled half-heartedly. _There's no way I can say no. _Not with the way his mother looked expectantly at him and not with the way he felt like he's going to have another gun pointed to his head. "Yeah."

Nana looked pleased. "But seriously, Tsu-kun. How could you have slept that deep last night? I tried shaking you awake, I was almost worried."

"Uhh…"

"He was too tired waiting for my arrival, Maman." Reborn replied for him.

_Just what story did this guy come up last night? _Tsuna thought.

Nana accepted the explanation without any hint of suspicion. "Oh, and Tsu-kun. What kind of perfume were you wearing last night? You might want to change it… It doesn't smell that pleasant." She stated without malice. "Ohh, speaking of perfume, your father sent me boxes of different perfumes last mont -"

As she went on, Reborn couldn't help but be amazed on how (for the lack of a better term) air-headed Tsuna's mother was. But then, he wasn't complaining. It could play right into their favors after all. Coming up with lies wouldn't be so much of a problem now.

Tsuna, on the other hand, looked guilty. He was relieved his mother thought he was only wearing some weird perfume instead of reeking alcohol. Partly though, he wondered why his mother didn't know the smell of liquor. _Ah, times like these make me wonder whether my mom was sheltered all her life…_

"Let's go, Tsuna." The words took Tsuna out of his stupor.

"Huh?"

"You're going to show me around the neighbourhood, remember?"

Nana smiled. "Yeah, you should show him around, Tsu-kun, since he would be living here after all." Then stood. "I hope you find the place pleasant, Reborn-kun."

"I'm sure I would, Maman." Reborn smiled once more before glancing at Tsuna, silently ordering him to get up and follow him.

Reluctantly, Tsuna did as he was told, a bit stumped to go out looking the way he was.

"Try to be back by lunch." Nana called out as she started to clean up the plates.

And Reborn replied with a tilt of his fedora –where he pulled it out from was lost to Tsuna – while Tsuna waved a hand.

Before they stepped outside the house, Reborn had the mind to order Tsuna into cleaning himself up first; saying that going out looking like he came out of the trashcan was unpleasant and 'loser-like.'

When they were outside, Reborn dropped his charming façade, which frankly worried Tsuna, for the man now had the same expression he had when he was threatening him with a gun to his head.

"Dame-Tsuna."

Tsuna gulped. "Y-yes?" Back to stuttering, Tsuna supposed.

"Show me the boy."

"Huh?"

Reborn looked at him sharply. "The bully."

Tsuna blinked rapidly. "O-oh…uhm.." He was quite apprehensive. He wasn't so sure if he would like to see him so soon. _I mean, I've…just run out of him yesterday…_ Frankly, Tsuna still felt the pang in his chest, added with his hangover. He wasn't so sure if he could even look at _him _without tears threatening to fall out of his tired eyes.

Reborn held Tsuna's chin, tilting his head up to meet his eyes.

"Haven't I told you? Never show fear?"

Tsuna's eyes widened a bit, before he pursed his lips.

"Chances are, you'll see him tomorrow at school anyway. I just want to see the guy sooner. Stop fearing what you'll feel about seeing him. Let's go."

Tsuna was pushed slightly by the taller man, ending any retort he was about to say. And with a sigh, he walked; Reborn in tow.

* * *

**~o~**

* * *

"This is the boy you compared _me _with?" _He's…average- looking… _And that's putting it nicely.

Tsuna gulped, seeing the expression on Reborn's face; even he could tell that Reborn looked insulted. Far _too _insulted.

And despite the distress he felt upon seeing _him_ and the antagonism he now felt for the _senpai_ he learned to love, Tsuna felt the sudden need to side with his _ex_.

"I don't see what's wrong with him." He met Reborn's eyes head on. "Mochida-senpai may be a chauvinistic asshole…player…bully –"

Reborn had no idea whether Tsuna was defending _this _Mochida or insulting him. Either way, he couldn't find it in himself to be mad, and instead turned amused.

" –lowlife. But, he's not bad looking! He had his good sides…he's nice..and all."

"_Faked_ good sides." Reborn flicked Tsuna's forehead, earning an "Ow!" from the younger man. "Why are you siding with him anyway?" He pinched and pulled the other's chubby chin, _Soft_, he internally chuckled; fighting the urge to laugh upon seeing the adorable sight he's presented with. "You should be mad at him."

Tsuna grabbed the other's wrist, trying to wrench them away. "That hurts." The other, however, didn't remove his hand and instead did the same action with the other cheek. Now, he got both of his cheeks in his mercy. "I _am_ mad at him!"

"Oh?"

"But you looked at me as if I have a really bad taste!"

Reborn raised his brow. "You don't think so?"

Tsuna tried to pout and failed. His lips wouldn't move properly with the way Reborn pinched his cheeks. "I'm saying that I like personality more than the face…And don't look at me as if I'm an idiot, I know that already. I'm just saying that I liked him when he was…you know…nice to me."

"How did that work in your favour?"

Tsuna averted his eyes, putting the both of them in silence.

Reborn let go of his cheeks, sighing aloud as he readjusted his fedora. With one last look to the young man named Mochida, he turned on his back, leaving a puzzled Tsuna.

"Where… are you going?" _Maybe… he thinks I'm hopeless? _Tsuna came up with that realization, thinking Reborn thought he was a waste of time, and couldn't help but feel down. He, too, glanced at Mochida, who was still oblivious of their presence.

"What are you standing there for?"

And Tsuna glanced at the tall man, taking him out of his stupor. Unbeknownst to him, his eyes were a little red. Perhaps, the sun was too bright, or maybe it was the presence of Mochida. Better yet, it could be Reborn's actions. Whichever the reason was, Tsuna suddenly felt lonely.

Reborn clicked his tongue. "You should learn to use your emotions in your favour, Dame-Tsuna. Not waste it by wallowing." And he turned on his back once more, hands in his pocket. "Let's go."

_Use my emotions..? _Tsuna had a hard time following Reborn's train of thought. But maybe given the time they'll spend together for days to come, maybe, just maybe, he'd understand the man in classy clothes.

* * *

**~o~**

* * *

"Ha…You're…quite skilled…"

Tsuna, a bit breathless, looked up from his kneeling, meeting eyes with Reborn, who was sat upon the chair in front of him.

"…in…" Reborn flipped "…getting a perfect _zero_!" and waved the test paper in his hand, showing the result in bold red marker. "What kind of score is this, Dame-Tsuna? This is depressing."

Tsuna winced, not liking the mild hostility from the taller man. "It's the reason why I didn't want you t-to see it." He pouted. Just a few seconds ago, he was busy moving Reborn's things into the guestroom. And when he noticed Reborn snooping around his room, particularly, under his bed, Tsuna already knew what the tall man would see and he also had a clue on how the other would react. So, he dropped the suitcases on his arms in favour of stealing the paper from the other before his embarrassing test scores were seen, which had been unsuccessful and only resulted in him panting and kneeling on the floor after being kicked and scolded for the sudden assault.

Reborn stood abruptly and Tsuna wondered.

"Uh…Reborn?" He dropped the –san, since the tall man insisted it earlier on their way back home, saying he's Italian and by no means, Japanese, therefore, the honorific should be dropped.

_-"Well, if you want it that way….Reborn."– _was Tsuna's reply.

The Italian ignored him, proceeding to his student's bed and flipping it over.

"Mou! Reborn!" Tsuna stood.

Reborn, on the other hand, eyed the sheets of paper, which were proudly showing grades that ranged from twenty-seven to zero; the twenty-seven (out of a total one-hundred fifty pointed quiz) seemed to be the highest of them all.

Tsuna gulped when he saw the evil aura emitted from the Italian and suddenly felt the instinct to flee, which he was currently doing by side-stepping as quietly as possible. When he was about to exit through the bedroom's door, Reborn strode to where he was (thanks to his long legs), blocking Tsuna's only way out.

"Dame-Tsuna…"

"Y-yes…?"

And the gun was back on his forehead. Instinctively, Tsuna held up his hands in surrender.

"Better start studying before I pull the trigger."

"H-Hiieeee! Yes, sir!"

* * *

**~o~**

* * *

It was almost four in the morning when Reborn let the lanky teenager get some sleep after forcing the other to relearn his algebra book from the very first chapter to their current eighteenth chapter.

The results weren't so satisfying. Dame-Tsuna had improved in a very rough estimation of ten percent…maybe, less than that. And that's only because Reborn threatened the young man with a one-ton mallet.

As much as Reborn enjoyed antagonizing the young man, he couldn't keep teaching the boy with academics without feeling like pummelling him with a mallet for his slowness. He already had his hands full with the whole "seductress" business –which he wondered if the boy even remembered at all –.

But, intelligence _is _a quality of a seductress, a _femme fatale_, or in this case, _homme fatale_.* And Tsuna, Reborn sighed, was far from an intelligent being. Even the boy's taste was rather…bad.

Reborn definitely needed to do something about that.

Grabbing his green phone from his pocket, Reborn eyed his contacts, stopping on the name he knew would be of great assistance in his _project_. Hitting the call button, Reborn placed the phone to his ear and a sweet, calm voice greeted a _Ciao, __mio_ _amore .*_

And in Italian, Reborn replied. "Ciao, Bianchi. I'm in need of you and your brother's assistance."

"Oh?"

"Before that, how'd you like the sound of living in Japan for a few months?"

"I'll be fine as long as you're there."

Reborn smirked. "Then, board a plane with your brother to Namimori, Japan as soon as possible, Bianchi. I'll be waiting."

"Of course, amore."

Reborn glanced at the sleeping teenager. _It's time to change your tastes, dame-Tsuna. _Besides, Bianchi's brother wasn't only a good-looking man; he was a genius too. He could definitely help with tutoring the idiot beside him.

Two birds with one stone.

Only problem was, would they hit? Gokudera, as far as he knew, was a handful.

"Dame-Tsuna, prepare to meet the boy who's like the storm himself."

* * *

**~End of Chapter 1~**

* * *

**Finally, done with this chapter! It took me four hours to finish. I know, damn slow, right? :c**

**I am notoriously known for slow progression and I am vehemently against "Love at first sight" kind of stories. I rather have them a reason for falling for someone than being in love with just one look… Attraction is a very fickle reason when real attitude comes into play. The only way I'll use love at first sight scenarios would be the time they are designed/characterized to fall for someone's looks. (Take Dr. Shamal as an example. That perverted doctor would fall for anyone with female physical attributes.)**

**I don't speak Italian so I had to use Google Translate. I am not sure how correct the translation was, if you could provide me the proper translation, is it alright if I asked? I would appreciate it.**

**Ciao, ****mio** **amore (according to Google Translate) is **_**Hello, my love**_** in English. EDIT: Thank you, familymatters for giving me the correct translation. :D **

**Homme Fatale is the male version of femme fatale.**

**Is Reborn Italian by the way? I don't remember. OTL**

**I'm sorry if I don't get Bianchi's character down to pat… It had been years since I last read a KHR manga chapter and I don't remember much of Bianchi moments. There aren't lots of Bianchi moments in fanfics as well. So… I apologize.**

**OMAKE: **

"I don't see what's wrong with him." He met Reborn's eyes head on. "Mochida-senpai may be a chauvinistic asshole, player, bully, devil, demon incarnate, heartless, bastard, prick, dickhead, stupid, jackass, jerk, douchebag –"

Reborn never once in his life found someone who could enumerate dozen synonyms for asshole. Mostly, he didn't think he would hear it from someone as slow as Tsuna…

"–cruel, fiend, monster, soulless, wretched, rogue –"

"… … …"

**:::**

Meanwhile…

"Mochida-senpai, are you sure you're okay?" An unimportant girl asked, looking more like she's disgusted than worried as she saw her date kept on sneezing; spit involuntarily showering her.

"ACHOO!" was his only reply.

Let's just say his date didn't go well…

**:::**

Back to the two…

Reborn was itching for his gun, feeling the need to shoot Tsuna in order to make him shut up, or kill Mochida for being the chauvinistic asshole, player, bully, devil, demon-incarnate … lowlife that he was and the sole reason for his impending headache.

_That Mochida better count his remaining days… _Reborn thought evilly, glaring to the oblivious teen.

**:::**

"Brrr…." Mochida hugged himself, suddenly feeling chills. "I think I'm running a fever…ACHOO!"

**OMAKE 2:**

"Before that, how'd you like the sound of living in Japan for a few months?"

Bianchi's eyes sparkled; hope mirrored in her gorgeous olive irises. She saw herself hand in hand with the handsome gunman, walking on a path of cherry blossom trees with petals of baby pink floating through the air, showering them in butterfly-like flutters.

_My love is asking me to live with him in Japan? _She internally squealed. "I'll be fine as long as you're there."

"Then, board a plane with your brother to Namimori, Japan as soon as possible, Bianchi. I'll be waiting."

A few hours later…

A passed out Gokudera had foam in his mouth, oblivious to the fact that he was onboard a plane to Japan; Bianchi, on his side, holding a tight leash on him.

"Reborn~" She sighed, daydreaming of Sakura trees and yukatas.

**OMAKE 3:**

"T-that tickles –" Tsuna giggled, swatting away the soft and slightly wet appendage that was marking his face. When his fingers touched the appendage, however, Tsuna immediately woke up with wide eyes.

"HIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" He screamed, seeing animalistic green eyes a few inches from his face. "A giant lizard!"

A kick to the head was what he received, courtesy of his guest.

"He's a chameleon, you idiot."


End file.
